needs to be done. especially neighborhoods barely above sea level.terrellbrowntonighttakes a look at lessons learned. >> reporter: last october superstorm sandy swept joe courtney's home off its foundation. though he knew it would be expensive to repair, he had no intention of leaving new york's rockaway beach. >> there was not a question of whether we were going to rebuild or not. this is where i grew up. this is where my wife grew up. and this is where our lives are. >> reporter: his new home will be higher with a 14 foot concrete foundation. flood vents will allow high water to pass through. >> going upstairs in the attic there in that dormer. hot water heater, boiler, utilities to keep the house will be upstairs in the attic. >> reporter: all those fixes are lessons learned from sandy that architects and city planners are applying to new construction up and down the east coast. >> there will be above the floodplain. >> reporter: vishaan chakrabarti is an architecture. >> they have a lot of natural advantages in terms of storm that we really have to take advantage of. >> he's o